AUTHOR: Kevin Murray
PUBLISHER: Kogan Page: ISBN 978-0-7494-6814-9
What’s it about? Well, as with everything else these days it’s about – wait for it – Leadership. Most specifically its guide for leaders at how to motivate and excite the rank and file of the organization.
Who’s it for? Principally it’s aimed at the leaders who need a big rethink on what he or she might do to communicate better or “reach out” as the trendy parlance would say. In fact the premise outlined in the book is pretty good. Read it and you’ll learn some useful skills and pick up some bright ideas.
Why read it? Lots of so-called and want-to-be leaders miss out on the communicate thing. Thy don’t get it (too busy) and haven’t the common touch (and are too ambitious to bother to learn it). This book explains why it’s a career-enhancing move to bother to try and get it right.
What’s the style? Well written, easy to read, good examples. Takes the reader on a logical journey that will improve your communication’s skills if you bother to heed the excellent advice on offer.
… and the best advice. There’s a very good part of the book (see page 85) on how to engage employees through what the author terms “powerful conversations.” This part is worth the price of the book on its own and should be required reading of any CEO.
… and if only time to read one chapter? Has to be Chapter 11 “purposeful, Persuasive Stories – How you can use stories to drive action and shape culture.” This is a great primer that anyone – leader or not – can use in everyday management roles. Practical and to-the-point it lays out a how-to do it. That’s going to be a very valuable asset for any manager to learn and improve on.
How MCE Rate it? We were really taken with this book. Effective communication in the workplace is still one of the great deadly sins, ignored and not admired. But done right it is a powerful tool that can make the difference between disaster and success, profit and loss. So definitely a five star effort from Kevin Murray. The book’s blurb on Mr Murray says he has four decades of experience – it that 40 years of doing it that shines through the content.
How to buy it? http://www.koganpage.com/product/communicate-to-inspire-9780749468149